The Four Nations Amusement Park
by CrayolaBox16
Summary: Zuko, with the help of the Gaang, is forced to take a vacation. That doesn't mean he can't work to help bring two young benders together, with the help of Katara, of course. A multi-chap! Pink here!
1. Chapter 1

"An amusement park? Uncle, you cannot be serious!"

Uncle Iroh stood inside Zuko's cramp, windowless office, barely having room to breathe.

"I am very serious, nephew." Iroh answered. "You are more than this nation's fire lord, you are also a teenager! And teenagers should not be tucked away in a dingy office like this."

"If you can't see, uncle, I am very busy and-"

Before Zuko could finish his sentence, a loud crash was heard from behind Iroh. With difficulty, Zuko and Iroh craned their necks to find Toph standing over a crumpled piece of metal – Zuko assumed it was his door. Then Aang shuffled in, barely fitting inside the cramp little room.

"Sorry for interrupting your little talk there, pops." Toph said as she brushed off imaginary dust from her shorts, stepping forward from the crumpled mass of metal beneath her. "But you weren't selling it well enough. No offence."

"None taken, Miss Beifong." Iroh said, a friendly smile gracing his old features. With great effort, he moved to the side to give room for Toph to be in front of Zuko's table.

Toph immediately slammed her fist on the table, causing the numerous piles of scrolls on it to rattle. "We're going to the park, Sparky, whether you like it or not."

"You can't force me." Zuko stated simply, returning to the scroll he was reading.

Toph grabbed the scroll he was reading and tossed it behind her, not caring where it would land.

"Do you want me to stuff you in a metal box" She said over Aang's yelp of pain when the scroll smacked him square on the face. "And bend you there cause I'm happy either way." She smiled evilly at him.

Zuko was speechless for a moment before grabbing another scroll from the pile to his right. "I, unlike you guys, have some fire lord work to be done, like rebuilding my nation and what not. So no."

"You need a break, Zuko!" Aang intoned from behind Toph.

"The young Avatar is right, my boy." Iroh said. "All work and no play will make the embers in your mind dim."

"Uncle, that doesn't make sense!" Zuko said with a shake of his head. "And I don't have any time to waste to go to some amusement park."

"It won't be a waste a time cause it will be like a diplomatic visit!" Aang said excitedly.

"And how will this be a considered as a diplomatic visit?"

"Sparky, are you stupid? Can't you read?" She quickly stole the flyer from Iroh and waved it around his face.

"Uhm, Toph?"

"It's upside down isn't it?"

"Uh," Aang continued nervously as he guided Toph to show how the flyer should be. Toph sighed and quickly shoved the flyer to his direction. She moved aside to give him the floor. "You explain it, Twinkletoes. You're better at persuading people than I am."

Aang readily, though not easily on account that there was hardly any space, stepped forward. But before he could start, Zuko immediately cut him off.

"Look, Aang. If you can't see I have so much to do. I simply couldn't walk out to go to an amusement park, my ministers need me."

"Actually, Zuko, we just talked to you ministers and they all agreed that you needed a break." Aang replied with a cheeky smile.

"Lazy bastards." Zuko muttered under his breath. "I still need to renovate this guest office!" he gestured around.

"That is true." Iroh pondered. "This office is not fit to serve the Fire Lord."

Zuko shot them a smug look. "I told you, I told you I don't have time."

Aang merely smiled and gestured behind himself. "Toph can take care of that."

With a lazy flick of her hand, Toph pushed back the walls of the room. In a blink of an eye, the office was twice as big as it was before.

"I also wanted windows." He sighed lamely, knowing full well that there was nothing he could do to stop them from forcing him to go.

Toph stomped her foot and instantly, four giant holes shaped as the four elements, were carved to the wall.

"That's very beautiful, Miss Beifong." Iroh said as he inspected the wall.

"Yeah, Toph, it's really, uhm, pretty."

"Thanks, Aang."

Zuko raised his eye brow as he noted the blush rising from both the young benders' faces. '_Well,' _he thought_ 'isn't that new.'_

Iroh coughed, turning everyone's attention back to himself. He tilted his head towards his nephew."I think Fire Lord Zuko has a decision to make."

There was a beat of silence. "I don't really have a choice now do I?"

The young benders grinned. "Not really, no."

* * *

"Where are we going again exactly?"

After what seemed like forever, the gang was once again all inside Appa's saddle. Patiently waiting as Aang navigated the great beast around the Fire Nation.

"Right by the boarder of Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom, that's where the Four Nation's Amusement Park."

"I can't believe I agreed to this." Zuko muttered under his breath.  
"C'mon, Jerkbender, it'll be fun!" Sokka said from his side of the saddle, his arms loosely wrapped around Suki.

"Like getting my tooth pulled out."

"Stop being such a party pooper, Sparky." Toph said. "It'll be fun!"

Before Zuko could retort, Katara's excited tone filtered in. "GUYS! THERE IT IS! THERE IT IS!"

Everyone but Toph, all leaned from the saddled to see an island of the boarders of the two nations, surrounded by the sparkling sea.

Aang quickly landed the bison and hopped off, eagerly taking in his surrounding as he did. The gang swiftly followed suit.

"This place is…wow." Suki breathed as soon as she stepped out of Appa. Zuko could only nod in response. He had expected a small, dilapidated place with shifty people lurking around. Not this, this was beyond what he had anticipated.

The park was big and sprawling, probably even bigger than the whole Ember Island. The park itself was fenced in, a giant wooden gate serving as an entrance. The four elements symbol, just like the one Toph had created in Zuko's office, was hung above the gate. There was large space between, Appa and he park itself, probably so people would not assume the bison was a park ride.

"It's great, huh?" Aang said, bumping shoulders with Toph, who was right beside him. "We did a great job, didn't we?"

Toph smiled, almost shyly. "Yeah we did, Twinkletoes."

"Whoa," Sokka said, sudden realization dawning over him. "You guys did this?"

"We helped." Aang shrugged. "It's good to have a place where people from every nation could just hang out together."

"That's a really good idea, Aang." Katara said, her gaze still locked on the park.

"It was Toph's idea. It is really cool." Aang said; a small smile on his lips.

The blush forming on their faces were not ignored by Zuko.

"They're cute aren't they?"

Zuko turned his head to find Katara had fallen to step beside him, trailing behind Toph and Aang. She turned to face him and gave him a smile. Zuko merely shot an amused glace back.

"We should help them out." She suggested a mischievous glint in her eye.

Zuko's eye brow rose. "What are you saying?"

"We should give them a little push or something."

He shook his head at her, a small smile forming on his lips, which he tried to hide. "You're insane."

"C'mon! We owe Aang so much! I think it's time for us to give something back."

"But aren't you guys…?" He trailed off, confused.

Katara let out a loud, unladylike laugh. Zuko awkwardly leaned away from her as she started to clutch the sleeves of his robes, doubling up in laughter.

"What a joke." She wiped a tear from her eye. "Who knew Jerkbender-turned-fire-lord here was funny."

He stiffened in response "It was an honest mistake."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Sparky." She said, after sensing his tone. "It's just that, people keep assuming that we're together it's almost funny."

"I-" He faltered. "Never mind."

There was a few moment of companionable silence as they continued to walk to the park.

"So, do you wanna help them?" She asked after a few beats of silence.

"Who?" He replied distractedly, his mind already wandering back to his work.

"Toph and Aang."

"Do you really think we have time for that? We're only staying here for a day."

Katara shot him a confused him. "No, we're staying here for a week."

He stopped walking and stared at her. "What?" His voice was low and angry.

"Didn't Iroh tell you?"

"NO!"

"Well, there, he said we'd stay here for a week. He got a house built near this area for us to stay in."

Zuko immediately turned his heel and angrily walked back to Appa. "I was going cut off uncle's tea supply and destroy all his tea sets." He muttered before raising his voice to call Aang. "C'mon! WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE PALACE!" His path was immediately blocked by a thick, stone wall. He slowly turned, smoke literally escaping his ears.

"Toph, put this down now!" He angrily demanded.

"Why?"

"BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY I'M STAYING HERE FOR A WEEK!"

"WELL, TOO BAD, SPARKY!" Toph said, her voice equal to his. "You're taking this break or so help me, I will lock you in a stone box and wait until this week ends."

Zuko let out a frustrated sigh as the others went back to walking to the park, Katara waiting for him.

"Now do you want to help me?"

"Toph hates dealing with feelings right?"

Katara paused. "…yeah?"

"I'm in."

* * *

Heyo! So this was an idea that popped into my head a few weeks ago or something. I hope you like it!

**READ AND REVIEW**!

Disclaimer: I own Avatar as much as I own my personal fire bender.


	2. Chapter 2

Zuko had to admit, the park was amazing. Even from the entrance, gigantic rides – based on the different nations – could be seen. Carts and stalls selling different food and products, from a mug of stewed sea prunes to toy Kyoshi warrior fans to a bag of fire flakes, littered the place. Lively music mixed with the shouts of laughter from different people, filled the amusement park.

"Okay guys!" Sokka called out as the group looked around. "Since I'm the eldest-"

"I'm older by a month." Zuko piped up from beside him.

"And the leader of this group." Sokka continued as his grinded his teeth together. He waited for anymore interruptions and nodded when there was none. "Everyone should partner up."

Everyone groaned. "We're not kids, Snoozles. We don't need any partners." Toph said, annoyed.

"LISTEN TO WHAT I SAY!" He screamed causing the group to shrink back in fear. "Good." He said with finality. "I call Suki!"

The four benders rolled their eyes and turned to each other.

"So…?"

"Me and Zuko can go together." Katara suggested, sending a meaningful look his way.

Zuko met her eye and nodded vigorously. "Oh, uhm, yeah."

The young benders turned to each other and shrugged. "C'mon, Twinkletoes. I think it's time for the park to have an inspection."

Zuko watched as the others left him and Katara right by the entrance of the park.

"C'mon!" Katara called, following the direction where Toph and Aang disappeared to. "Before we lose them!"

"Isn't Toph going to notice that we're following them?" he asked when he caught up with the water bender. "I mean, she can feel our footsteps."

"Not when everyone is here." She answered, indicating the crowd they were cutting through.

"Are you sure?"

"No, but do you have a better idea?"

Zuko paused. "No."

"Thought so."

00000000000000000000000000

"Thank the spirits you wore that hood." Katara said as she watched Aang get stopped by yet another park-goer, thanking him for saving the world. Katara and Zuko wore the same thing they wore when they watched the Ember Island players, hoping to blend into the crowd.

"How do you want to do this anyway?" Zuko asked.

Katara was thoughtful for a moment. "We need to study them first." She said after a while. "Find out how we should approach this."

Zuko smirked. "You sound just like your brother."

"Shut up." She said, punching him lightly.

He ignored her and continued. "I won't be surprised if you start wielding a boomerang and asking for random chunks of meat."

She laughed at him, a soft – almost musical – laugh he rarely heard and somewhat proud to make her do so.

"Stop being so funny." She said. "Go back to being angry all the time, like before."

"You want me to chase you around, blasting fire and talking honor for effect?" he said dead pan, earning another laugh from her.

"Stop it! It's weird!"

Zuko smirked in response, still oddly proud of making her laugh.

The two followed Aang and Toph as they walked around the park, talking to some of the workers and stopping to inspect a part of a ride.

After a while, they followed the two to a large, open court yard. Numerous tables and chairs were inside and around them , three large stalls formed a semi-circle. The stalls were much bigger than the ones already around the park. Just above the stalls were the symbols of the different nations. A gigantic banner was hung right in front of the place.

"The food courtyard?" Katara read in question. "Wait- wait-yard isn't…"

"The food court." Zuko read, more confidently than her. "Huh, good name."

Zuko and Katara sat a few tables away from them, watching as Aang changed the sign on their table from vacant to taken. The two young benders got up and walked to one of the stalls together.

The older benders turned to each other and shrugged, following the example the two gave. They changed the sign and got up, approaching the stalls with a slight apprehension.

"What is that?" Zuko asked as he glanced as Katara sat down across him, a large bowl of unknown contents swimming inside.

"Sea prunes." He replied happily, stuffing her mouth once more, her eyes closing to relish the apparent flavor.

"I miss this." She said after she swallowed, causing Zuko to turn away with a wrinkle of his nose.

"I don't see why you would." Zuko muttered under his breath. He swallowed another spoonful of spicy rice and looked at her."Why? Haven't you gone home to the south pole?" he asked with a raised of his eyebrow.

"No." she sighed sadly "We've been too busying doing work in the Earth kingdom, Sokka and I haven't had the chance to go home."

"Oh." Zuko nodded understandably. He owed Katara after all, this was the perfect time to repay her. He just needed to figure out how.

The rest of the day was spent unexcitingly, following Aang and Toph around the park as they inspected the place. They spoke once or twice about what they were doing, noting the different mannerisms they over looked before but mostly they talked about themselves, about what they have been up to since they last saw each other.

Katara spoke lengths about their travels. Her face grew excited as she told him about the adventures she had with the gang in the Earth Kingdom. From calming down warring cities and villages to forcing Toph to make peace with her parents.

Zuko couldn't help but feel envious towards her and the group. While he was cooped up in the small dingy office, trying to salvage his nation.

"Not that it's all been fun and games." Katara said after seeing his expression. She let out an awkward cough. "Yeah, uhm, all work and no play for us."

He laughed softly. "It's okay to have fun around me. It's not like it's your fault I'm stuck in a small office all day."

"I was going to ask you about that. Toph said your office was smaller than Appa's saddle. Why?"

"Because the only other office in the palace was Ozai's"

Katara gulped. "Oh." She thought for a moment, not knowing what to say. "Well, at least you're in good company." She said, brightly, hoping to fill the awkward silence. "Like Iroh. And, uhm, that girl you used to date. That knife girl."

"Mai?"

"YEAH! Her! I bet she's, uhm, a delight."

"We broke up."

"Oh."

Zuko considered her for a moment as she awkwardly looked around. She told him what happened since they last saw each other, it would only be fair if he did the same.

"She was, uhm, interested, in, uh, we both…no, uhm," he continued to stammer and babble incoherently. It put Katara's awkwardly to ease but placed him in an awful position. "She…wanted different things."

"What do you mean?"

He gulped, the urge to bang his head on the wall grew stronger. "She…was in love with someone else."

"Another fire bender guy?"

"Ty lee."

She paused for a moment, her eye brows bunched together as she thought. "Who's…" she trailed off. There was a beat of silence as the look of realization dawned on her. He flinched as she began to smile. "You mean she's…?"

Zuko sighed. "Yes."

"And you were just…"

"A cover, yeah."

Katara giggle and squaeezed his shoulders comfortingly. "Aw, it's okay, Sparky."

Zuko oddly felt proud of making her laugh, even if it's at his own expense.

He briefly wondered if he was coming on with something.

* * *

Sorry for le crap.


End file.
